Mixing Xanax, Klonopin and Benzos With Other Drugs - Rehabs.com

As a Schedule IV drug, Xanax users are allowed up to five refills for every six months that the drug is prescribed. Patients with agoraphobia – a condition characterized by fear of public surroundings – have also benefited from Xanax treatment. Like most benzos, alprazolam acts as a sedative, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anxiety reducer. Xanax is the most commonly identified trade name for alprazolam, a benzodiazepine prescribed for anxiolytic purposes. Thanks to its short-acting potency, the onset of Xanax is swift for users seeking relief from panic disorders.

In its 2012 Beers Criteria, the AGS states that benzos pose the following risks to seniors:. Due to the slow metabolisms and increased drug sensitivity in most seniors, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) discourages benzodiazepine use among older adults, especially those afflicted with agitation, delirium or insomnia.

* How Common Is Benzo Abuse?

Benzos should not be taken by pregnant or lactating women, because the effects of these drugs can inflict withdrawal symptoms upon newborns. Reduced dosages and halved durations are generally advised for seniors seeking benzo treatment. Adverse effects suffered by prolonged benzo users include physical dependence, psychomotor retardation, memory loss and tinnitus. Benzos work the central nervous system, and users can experience adverse effects through overuse, in addition to withdrawal symptoms once treatment has ended, especially when use has been abruptly halted.

Designed as remedial drugs, benzodiazepines help patients overcome various physical discomforts and psychological conditions. Xanax and Klonopin are the respective trademark names for alprazolam and clonazepam, two medications that belong to the benzodiazepine class of drugs (“benzos”). Benzo treatment could be the perfect remedy if you are suffering from anxiety, insomnia, seizures or muscle spasms.

The American Academy of Family Physicians suggest that benzos are rarely the sole drugs of choice among chemical abusers, as summarized by the following findings:

If you find yourself struggling with abuse of benzos, alcohol or other drugs, contact us today. Us. While benzodiazepines are generally safe for chemical-free patients who suffer from acute symptoms of restlessness and anxiety, they are often abused. We can help you find the best exclusive residential treatment facility that you need to heal. Don’t hesitate.

Lesser conditions like insomnia can often be treated by irregular usage of benzodiazepine drugs, though not without the guidance of a medical supervisor. As highlighted by the Department of Health and Human Services, 40 percent of benzo-related ER admissions involve users with psychiatric problems. Some of these problems, like anxiety, can safely be treated by most forms of benzodiazepine for up to four weeks – beyond that point benzo dependency is risked. Long-term success of these drugs can vary, and discontinuation will sometimes lead to relapses of the underlying conditions in users with more intense forms of anxiety.

Paradoxical symptoms are even less likely, though feelings of mania, aggression and hostility are occasionally triggered in certain Xanax users. Side effects of Xanax may include rashes, drowsiness, constipation, slurred speech and respiratory depression. Extreme reactions to Xanax are far less common, but they can possibly range from hallucinations and dry mouth to urinary problems and skin discoloration. Patients who take Xanax for its anxiolytic benefits are unlikely to develop tolerance towards the drug, though it can become habit-forming when used as a sedative.

Users are also at much greater risk while under the influence of alcohol, because drunkenness can lead to forgetful and irresponsible behavior regarding medicine consumption. Benzos and alcohol make another extremely dangerous combination, because alcoholic beverages also act as depressants upon the central nervous system. It only takes a couple of drinks to exacerbate the process of other chemicals in the body, which can severely boost the potency of already powerful sedative drugs like Xanax and Klonopin.

Xanax abuse has cast doubts on whether the drug can even be safely distributed. In 2011, the Seven Counties Services clinic in Louisville, KY, switched its 3,000 Xanax patients over to Klonopin in response to the growing trend of Xanax abuse.

Potentially more dangerous are mixtures of benzos and opioids, both of which work at the central nervous system. Opioid drugs like heroin, morphine, methadone and codeine put people into mellow states, and some of the most dangerous cases of polydrug use involve multiple depressants. If the sedatives in benzos cross with the downer effects of opioids, the combination of depressive qualities could result in potentially lethal respiratory failure.

On a different note, the AGS does state that seniors may benefit from benzos when experiencing the following symptoms and treatments:

Available in tablet and liquid forms, benzos are typically ingested, though in some cases the drugs are administered intravenously. In rare circumstances, benzos are administered through intramuscular and rectal routes. Short and intermediate-acting benzos are good for the treatment of insomnia, while longer-lasting benzos are generally better in the treatment of anxiety. Benzo treatments lasting under a month are usually safe, though the drugs can become habit-forming with prolonged usage. The benefits of benzodiazepines vary based on the age and condition of each patient and the type of benzo administered.

Some of the worst cases of Klonopin withdrawal after high-dose treatments involve seizures and redoubled panic attacks. Due to the tolerance potential of Klonopin, treatments are generally preferable on a short-term basis. As with many benzodiazepines, Klonopin can compromise a user’s ability to operate machinery and motor vehicles. Withdrawal symptoms are experienced by users regardless of dosage, though the effects can vary from person to person.

* Which Drugs Are Typically Used in Combination With Benzos?

Adults with certain conditions are best served by specific forms of benzodiazepines under limited timeframes. Short-term treatments under these long-acting benzos work best among patients who are truly determined to halt their alcoholic consumption. Treatment against alcoholism is best administered through the benzo forms of chlordiazepoxide and diazepam.

Like many of its sister benzos, Klonopin can produce feelings of drowsiness, euphoria and cognitive disruption. Depending on the conditions of each user and the dosages administered, Klonopin can have side effects ranging from mild to severe. Possible yet infrequent among Klonopin users are feelings of irritability, lethargy, diminished libido, motor impairment and anterograde amnesia, in which memories surrounding the time of dosage are lost upon the user. In worst-case scenarios, a user might have bouts of psychosis or suffer conditions like liver damage and urinary incontinence.

* Why Are Benzo Drugs Dangerous for Seniors Citizens?

Benzodiazepine in its pure form is a psychoactive drug comprised of diazepine and benzene compounds, the latter of which was first popularized in the West as an early means for decaffeinating coffee. Benzodiazepines are classified as central nervous system depressants by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, where the drugs have been divided into two categories: anxiolytics (diazepam, alprazolam) and sedatives (triazolam, estazolam). Marketed since the 1960s, the benzodiazepine class has grown to include dozens of short and long-acting spin-off drugs, including clonazepam, diazepam, etizolam, flutoprazepam and ketazolam.

When it comes to hallucinogens like LSD, benzos can work to alleviate some of the stress associated with bad trips. Mixing drugs is never recommended, yet interactions between benzos and harder substances can all depend on the drugs in question. The sedative nature of benzos can also alleviate symptoms that typically occur during methamphetamine comedowns, such as irritability and insomnia.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, benzodiazepines are gaining favor as recreational drugs. Between 2004 and 2008, ER admissions involving benzo abuse jumped by 89 percent. The individual benzos responsible for these admissions ranked as follows:.

Klonopin is also effective in the treatment of mania, hypertonia, panic disorders and sensory disturbances. As one of the long-lasting benzos, Klonopin is used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy. A dose of Klonopin will typically take effect within four hours of ingestion. Klonopin is the US trade name for clonazepam, a benzodiazepine marketed as “Rivotril” throughout Canada, Latin America, Oceania and Europe. The drug is sometimes taken as a sleeping aid, though users often experience lighter sleep while on Klonopin. In low doses, Klonopin can even work as a treatment for rapid eye movement.